JP6902307B1 - An air vehicle and a mounting unit having a mounting unit having a means of transportation. - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air vehicle capable of improving the accuracy of arrival position of luggage. SOLUTION: The flying object of the present invention includes a mounting portion for holding a mounted object, holds the mounting portion via a string-shaped member, and when the mounting portion is viewed from the side, the upper end of the mounting portion. It has a means of transportation including a rotary blade provided between the lower end and the lower end. Further, a part of the rotation shafts of the four or more rotary blades extends in different directions from each other. Further, the angle formed by at least one of the four or more rotary blades and the horizontal axis is smaller than the angle formed by the rotating shaft and the vertical axis. [Selection diagram] Fig. 2

Description

The present invention relates to an air vehicle and a mounting portion including a mounting portion having a means of transportation.

In recent years, the practical application of home delivery services using air vehicles (hereinafter collectively referred to as "air vehicles") such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been promoted. An air vehicle equipped with multiple propellers (hereinafter collectively referred to as a multicopter), which is generally called a multicopter, is relatively narrow because it does not require a runway for takeoff and landing unlike a general fixed-wing aircraft. It can be operated on land and is suitable for transportation services such as home delivery.

In the transportation by multicopter, various methods for loading and disconnecting the luggage to be transported are being studied, and the method of connecting the luggage to the main body of the aircraft and disconnecting it after landing is the method of disconnecting. It is well known.

With existing multicopters, there are many cases where luggage is connected and disconnected manually. In this case, it is necessary to assign a person to the delivery destination of the package, which increases the operating cost. Also, a person may approach or touch the flying object. A multicopter is a precision instrument, and since the propeller rotates at high speed during operation, there may be a risk of injury or malfunction of the aircraft, so it is desirable to reduce the chances of people unpacking. In view of such a situation, in Patent Document 1, in Patent Document 1, the flying object and the luggage are connected by a string-shaped member, and the connection between the luggage and the string-shaped member can be released without human intervention. The mechanism is disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0094962

In Patent Document 1, a delivery system has been developed in which an air vehicle and a luggage are connected by a cable, and the luggage is lowered by feeding out the cable, and only the luggage can be lowered to the ground.

During unloading, the aircraft is preferably hovered at a high position to reduce the effects of ground effects and reduce the likelihood of contact with people and structures on the ground. However, there are areas and seasons where the wind blows strongly outdoors. Depending on the length of the cable to be unwound, the landing position of the cargo may deviate significantly, making it difficult to pinpoint the landing of the cargo on a narrow site or port.

Therefore, according to the present invention, by providing a mounting portion between the luggage and the cable and providing a moving means in which the mounting portion can move horizontally in the air, the arrival position accuracy of the luggage can be improved with a small increase in weight. One purpose is to provide an air vehicle.

According to the present invention, a mounting portion for holding a mounted object is provided, the mounting portion is held via a string-shaped member, and when the mounting portion is viewed from the side, between the upper end and the lower end of the mounting portion. An air vehicle and a mounting portion having a means of transportation including a provided rotary wing can be provided.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air vehicle and a mounting portion that can improve the accuracy of the arrival position of the load.

It is a schematic view which looked at the flying body by this invention at the time of unloading from the side. It is a partial top view of the flying object of FIG. It is a partial side view of the flying object of FIG. It is a figure after the flying object of FIG. 3 has finished unloading. It is a schematic diagram which looked at the flying body in this invention from the side. It is a figure in flight of the flying object of FIG. It is a figure which looked at the flying body of FIG. It is a functional block diagram of the flying object of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which looked at the structural example of the flying body and the mounting part in this invention from the side. It is a side view when the flying object in this invention holds a mounting part. It is a figure when the flying object of FIG. 10 lowers a mounting part. It is an enlarged side view of the mounting part of FIG. 10 which reached the vicinity of a port. It is a front view of the mounting part of FIG. It is a figure when the mounting part of FIG. 13 performs unloading. It is a figure when the mounting part of FIG. 13 performs unloading. It is a figure after the mounting part of FIG. 13 has finished unloading. FIG. 13 is a view when the port of FIG. 13 projects the fall prevention member upward. FIG. 17 is a view of the port of FIG. 17 as viewed from above. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structural example of the moving means of the mounting part by this invention. It is another schematic diagram which shows the structural example of the moving means of the mounting part by this invention. It is a figure which showed a part of the internal structure of the flying object by this invention. It is another figure which showed a part of the internal structure of the flying object by this invention. It is the figure which looked at the angle correction part provided with the flying object by this invention from the side view. It is the figure which looked at the angle correction part provided with the flying object by this invention from the bottom surface. It is a side view before the angle of the mounting part by this invention is corrected. It is a side view when the angle of the mounting part of FIG. 22 is corrected. It is a top view of the configuration example of the delivery system by this invention. It is another top view of the configuration example of the delivery system by this invention. It is another top view of the configuration example of the delivery system by this invention. It is a side view of the configuration example of the delivery system by this invention.

The contents of the embodiments of the present invention will be described in a list. An air vehicle and a mounting portion including a mounting portion having a moving means according to an embodiment of the present invention have the following configurations.
[Item 1]
It ’s an air vehicle,
Equipped with a mounting part to hold the load
The mounting portion is held via a string-shaped member, and the mounting portion is held.
When the mounting portion is viewed from the side, it has a moving means including a rotary blade provided between the upper end and the lower end of the mounting portion.
An air vehicle characterized by that.
[Item 2]
A part of the rotation axis of the rotary blade extends in different directions.
The flying object according to item 1, characterized in that.
[Item 3]
The angle formed by the rotation axis of at least one rotor and the horizontal axis is smaller than the angle formed by the rotation axis and the vertical axis.
The flying object according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that.
[Item 4]
The rotor blades are provided with four or more even numbers.
The rotation axes of the two rotors arranged diagonally to the mounting portion extend in the same direction as each other.
The rotation axes of the rotary blades adjacent to each other around the mounting portion extend in different directions.
The flying object according to any one of items 1 to 3, characterized in that.
[Item 5]
The string-shaped member is branched into two or more from a predetermined position, and is connected to the mounting portion at two or more points.
The flying object according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that.
[Item 6]
The mounting portion is suspended by the string-shaped member connected to the hanging mechanism.
The flying object according to any one of items 1 to 5, characterized in that.
[Item 7]
The suspension mechanism is mounted at a position offset at least in the front-rear direction of the flying object from directly above the center of gravity of the flying object or a string-shaped member extending from the mounting portion.
The flying object according to item 6, characterized in that.
[Item 8]
The string-shaped member extends from the offset position to the mounting portion via a pulley.
The flying object according to item 7, characterized in that.
[Item 9]
The mounting portion is separated from the airframe together with the mounting object.
The flying object according to any one of items 1 to 8, characterized in that.
[Item 10]
It is a mounting part that holds the loading material.
When the mounting portion is viewed from the side, it has a moving means including a rotary blade provided between the upper end and the lower end of the mounting portion.
A part of the rotation axis of the rotary blade extends in different directions.
The mounting part is characterized by that.
[Item 11]
The angle formed by the rotation axis of at least one rotor and the horizontal axis is smaller than the angle formed by the rotation axis and the vertical axis.
The mounting unit according to item 10, characterized in that.
[Item 12]
The four rotor blades are provided.
The rotation axes of the two rotors arranged diagonally to the mounting portion extend in the same direction as each other.
The rotation axes of the rotary blades adjacent to each other around the mounting portion extend in different directions.
The mounting unit according to item 10 or 11, characterized in that.

<Details of Embodiments According to the Present Invention>
Hereinafter, an air vehicle and a mounting portion including a mounting portion having a moving means according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Details of the first embodiment>

As shown in FIG. 1, the air vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an air vehicle 100 that flies, a mounting unit 10 capable of holding a loading object 11 to be delivered, and the flying body 100 and the mounting unit 10. It is configured to include a string-shaped member 20 which is connected to and is capable of feeding and winding.

The aircraft 100 carrying the load to be delivered takes off from the takeoff point and flies to the destination (for example, port 30). The aircraft 100 that has reached the destination is hovering for unloading. After that, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the flying object 100 extends the string-shaped member 20 to lower the mounting portion 10 and the mounting object 11, and when the mounting portion 10 is lowered to a predetermined position, the mounting portion 10 Separates the load 11 and completes the delivery. The mounting portion 10 from which the loading object 11 is separated rises to the vicinity of the flying object 100 again by hoisting the string-shaped member 20. When the string-shaped member 20 rises to a predetermined position, the flying object 100 starts moving toward the next destination.

As shown in FIG. 5, the flying object 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention has at least a main body, a plurality of rotors including a propeller 110 and a motor 111, and a motor mount or frame that supports the rotors in order to fly. It is desirable that the flight unit includes such elements as, and is equipped with energy for operating them (for example, a secondary battery, a fuel cell, fossil fuel, etc.).

It should be noted that the illustrated flying object 100 is drawn in a simplified manner for facilitating the explanation of the structure of the present invention, and for example, the detailed configuration of the control unit and the like is not shown.

The flying object 100 has the direction of arrow D (-Y direction) in the figure as the forward direction (details will be described later).

In the following explanation, terms may be used properly according to the following definitions. Front-back direction: + Y direction and -Y direction, vertical direction (or vertical direction): + Z direction and -Z direction, left-right direction (or horizontal direction): + X direction and -X direction, traveling direction (forward): -Y direction, Retreat direction (rear): + Y direction, ascending direction (upward): + Z direction, descending direction (downward): -Z direction

The propeller 110 rotates in response to the output from the motor 111. The rotation of the propeller 110 generates propulsive force for taking off the flying object 100 from the starting point, moving it, and landing it at the destination. The propeller 110 can rotate to the right, stop, and rotate to the left.

The propeller 110 included in the flying object of the present invention has one or more blades. Any number of blades (rotors) (eg, 1, 2, 3, 4, or more blades) may be used. Further, the shape of the blade can be any shape such as a flat shape, a bent shape, a twisted shape, a tapered shape, or a combination thereof. The shape of the blade can be changed (for example, expansion / contraction, folding, bending, etc.). The blades may be symmetrical (having the same upper and lower surfaces) or asymmetric (having different shaped upper and lower surfaces). The blades can be formed into air wheels, wings, or geometric shapes suitable for generating dynamic aerodynamic forces (eg, lift, thrust) as the blades move through the air. The geometry of the blades can be appropriately selected to optimize the dynamic air characteristics of the blades, such as increasing lift and thrust and reducing drag.

Further, the propeller included in the flying object of the present invention may be a fixed pitch, a variable pitch, or a mixture of a fixed pitch and a variable pitch, but the propeller is not limited to this.

The motor 111 causes the propeller 110 to rotate. For example, the drive unit can include an electric motor, an engine, or the like. The vanes are driveable by the motor and rotate around the axis of rotation of the motor (eg, the major axis of the motor).

The blades can all rotate in the same direction or can rotate independently. Some of the blades rotate in one direction and the other blades rotate in the other direction. The blades can all rotate at the same rotation speed, and can also rotate at different rotation speeds. The number of rotations can be automatically or manually determined based on the dimensions (for example, size, weight) and control state (speed, moving direction, etc.) of the moving body.

The flight body 100 determines the rotation speed and flight angle of each motor according to the wind speed and the wind direction by a flight controller, a radio, or the like. As a result, the flying object can move ascending / descending, accelerating / decelerating, and changing direction.

The aircraft body 100 can perform autonomous flight according to routes and rules set in advance or during flight, and flight by maneuvering using a radio.

The above-mentioned flying object 100 has a functional block shown in FIG. The functional block in FIG. 8 has a minimum reference configuration. The flight controller is a so-called processing unit. The processing unit can have one or more processors, such as a programmable processor (eg, a central processing unit (CPU)). The processing unit has a memory (not shown), and the memory can be accessed. Memory stores logic, code, and / or program instructions that a processing unit can execute to perform one or more steps. The memory may include, for example, a separable medium such as an SD card or random access memory (RAM) or an external storage device. The data acquired from the cameras and sensors may be directly transmitted and stored in the memory. For example, still image / moving image data taken by a camera or the like is recorded in an internal memory or an external memory.

The processing unit includes a control module configured to control the state of the rotorcraft. For example, the control module adjusts the spatial arrangement, velocity, and / or acceleration of a rotorcraft with 6 degrees of freedom (translational motion x, y and z, and rotational motion θ _x , θ _y and θ _z). Controls the propulsion mechanism (motor, etc.) of the rotorcraft. The control module can control one or more of the states of the mounting unit and the sensors.

The processing unit is capable of communicating with a transmitter / receiver configured to transmit and / or receive data from one or more external devices (eg, terminals, display devices, or other remote controls). The transmitter / receiver can use any suitable communication means such as wired communication or wireless communication. For example, the transmitter / receiver uses one or more of local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), infrared, wireless, WiFi, point-to-point (P2P) network, telecommunications network, cloud communication, and the like. be able to. The transmitter / receiver can transmit and / or receive one or more of the data acquired by the sensors, the processing result generated by the processing unit, the predetermined control data, the user command from the terminal or the remote control, and the like. ..

Sensors according to this embodiment may include inertial sensors (accelerometers, gyro sensors), GPS sensors, proximity sensors (eg, riders), or vision / image sensors (eg, cameras).

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rotating surface of the propeller 110 included in the flying object 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention has an angle tilted forward toward the traveling direction during traveling. The rotating surface of the propeller 110 tilted forward creates an upward lift and a thrust in the direction of travel, which causes the aircraft 100 to move forward.

The aircraft body 100 includes a main body that can include a processing unit to be mounted, a battery, a mounted object, and the like. The main body is fixedly connected to the flight unit, and the attitude of the main body changes as the attitude of the flight unit changes. Efficiently shorten the flight time by optimizing the shape of the main body and improving the speed in the attitude of the aircraft 100 during cruising, which is expected to be maintained for a long time while the aircraft 100 is moving. ..

It is desirable that the main body has an outer skin that is strong enough to withstand flight and takeoff and landing. For example, plastic, FRP, and the like are suitable as materials for the outer skin because they have rigidity and waterproofness. These materials may be the same material as the frame 120 (including the arm) included in the flight unit, or may be different materials.

Further, the motor mount, the frame 120, and the main body portion included in the flight unit may be configured by connecting each component, or may be molded so as to be integrated by using a monocoque structure or integral molding. Good (for example, the motor mount and the frame 120 are integrally molded, the motor mount, the frame 120 and the main body are integrally molded, etc.). By integrating the parts, it is possible to smooth the joints of each part, so it can be expected to reduce the drag and improve fuel efficiency of flying bodies such as blended wing bodies and lifting bodies.

The shape of the flying object 100 may have directivity. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6, 21 and 22, when the nose of the flying object faces the wind, such as a streamlined main body having a small drag in the attitude of the flying object 100 when cruising in a windless manner, it flies. A shape that improves efficiency can be mentioned.

The mounting unit 10 has at least a function of holding the mounted object 11 (the method of holding and disconnecting the mounted object will be described later). Further, in order to make the mounted object 11 take a predetermined posture, the mounted portion 10 and the flying portion may be provided with one or more rotation shafts. As a result, the load 11 can be displaced independently of the attitude of the flying object 100.

As shown in FIG. 9, the mounting portion 10 is connected to the string-shaped member 20. The string-shaped member 20 is a flexible and long material such as a wire, an electric wire, a fishing line, a rope, and a tape. The material is not limited to the example, and may be any material as long as it has a strength capable of lifting the mounting portion and the mounted object, and can smoothly perform operations such as being wound on a spool and being unwound. For example, when an electric wire cable is used, power can be supplied from the flying object 100 to the mounting unit 10.

During flight, the string-shaped member 20 is wound so that the mounting portion 10 is in a predetermined position (for example, a position where the mounting portion 10 is housed inside the cover as shown in FIG. 5). It can be raised and lowered by feeding out and hoisting the string-shaped member 20.

The flying object 100 may have a function of holding the mounting portion 10 in addition to the string-shaped member 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the mounting portion 10 during flight is located inside the cover of the flying object 100, there is a method of providing a door opening / closing mechanism under the cover. In response to the control signal from the flight controller, the door is opened while the mounting unit 10 moves up and down, and the door is closed after the mounting unit 10 reaches the inside of the cover, so that the mounting unit 10 is supported by the door from below. Therefore, the mounting portion 10 is held even when tension is not applied to the string-shaped member 20. As a result, the load on the string-shaped member 20 and the hoisting machine to which the string-shaped member 20 is connected is reduced. Further, the flying object 100 and the mounting unit 10 may be rotatably connected to one or more axes in the axial direction so that the mounting unit 10 can control the attitude independently of the attitude of the flying object 100. In this case, by bending the string-shaped member 20, it is possible to have a margin for rotation.

As shown in FIGS. 12-16, the mounting unit 10 includes a mounting device holding mechanism 12 for holding the mounting device 11 so that the loading device 11 does not fall unintentionally during flight of the flying object 100 to which the mounting unit 10 is connected. Further, the loaded object holding mechanism 12 has a function of separating the loaded object 11 at the delivery destination. For example, there is a method in which claws for supporting the bottom surface of the load are provided on all sides, and when the claws are separated, the support of the load 11 is removed by tilting the claws downward or pulling the claws outward to separate the load.

In addition, examples of the method of holding and disconnecting the mounted object by the mounting unit 10 are listed and described, but the following examples are not limited to the method and may be any method capable of holding and disconnecting the mounted object 11. Further, when the mounting portion 10 is separated to the destination, the mounting portion 10 does not need to be provided with a disconnecting mechanism, and for example, the mounting portion 10 may have a configuration for releasing the connection with the string-shaped member 20. ..
(1) Holding by magnetizing or adsorption. For example, in the case of magnetic attachment, a magnetic force generator may be provided in the mounting portion 10 and a magnetized object (for example, metal or the like) may be provided in the mounted object 11 to perform magnetizing and demagnetization. In the case of adsorption, for example, , Air may be sucked into and released from the mounting portion 10 by sucking air or using a suction cup or the like. ..
(2) Holding by pressure of fasteners, etc. For example, the mounting portion 10 may be provided with a fastener composed of a band, a balloon, or the like, and may be held and separated by increasing or decreasing the pressure of the fastener.
(3) Holding by the door. For example, a door that can be opened and closed may be provided at the lower part of the mounting portion 10, and the door may be held and separated by opening and closing the door.

It is desirable that the article can be mounted on the mounting portion 10 from at least one of the lower surface, the upper surface, and the side surface of the mounting portion. Further, when separating the mounted object at the destination, it is desirable that the mounted object be separated below the mounting portion. For example, when an article is mounted in a state where the mounting portion 10 is stored in the flying object 100, the article can be inserted from the side surface, so that the flying object can be inserted from a lower position without looking into the flying object or installing the flying object at a high place. Since it can be inserted together, it is easy to insert the article into the mounting part.

The mounting unit 10 includes a moving means 13 that can move at least in the XY directions in the air. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, by providing a plurality of rotor blades, it is possible to prevent the mounting portion 10 from being separated from the designated place due to being swept by the wind or the like, and the accuracy of the loading position of the mounted object 11 is improved. .. Further, by controlling the self-position of the mounting portion and keeping the mounting portion within a predetermined range, it is possible to prevent the stability of the flying object from being lowered due to the large swing of the mounting portion 10 suspended from the string-shaped member 20. ..

When the moving means 13 is a rotary blade, the connection position of the rotary blade is provided so that at least a part of the rotary blade exists between the upper end and the lower end of the load when the mounting portion 10 is viewed from the side. Is desirable. For example, when there are two rotor blades, the rotor blades are arranged so as to sandwich the load when viewed from above. When there are three or more rotor blades, they are arranged so as to surround the load by the rotor blades as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. By providing the rotary blades within the upper and lower ends of the mounted object, the place pushed and pulled by the rotary blades is near the center of gravity of the mounting portion 10, so that it is possible to prevent the mounting portion 10 from wobbling or the like. For example, if the rotor blades are provided further above the upper end of the mounted object, a place away from the center of gravity of the mounted portion 10 will be pushed and pulled, and the mounting portion 10 may swing. is there. Preferably, the connection position of the rotary blade is provided at a position that coincides with the center of gravity or substantially the center of gravity of the mounted object when viewed from the side.

Further, when the output of the moving means 13 included in the mounting unit 10 is made larger, it is possible to move away from directly under the flying object. In the case where the destination (reception port, etc.) is on the side surface of a house, an apartment, or the like, if the mounting portion 10 moves only directly under the flying object 100, the flying object 100 needs to approach the building. The closer to the building, the higher the possibility of collision with obstacles, and the higher the possibility that the flying object will enter the area where the airflow is disturbed by the updraft or downdraft, and the flying object will become unstable. Collisions and reduced stability of the aircraft may lead to accidents such as breakdowns and crashes, so it is preferable to avoid them. When the mounting unit 10 can be separated from directly under the flying object, the mounting unit 10 is kept on standby at a place away from obstacles and areas where the air flow is turbulent, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. Only 10 can approach the destination.

Generally, it is known that a phenomenon such as hunting occurs when a fixed-pitch rotorcraft enters an updraft. This phenomenon makes the aircraft unstable. However, in the mounting portion 10 according to the present invention, since at least a part or all of the weight of the mounting portion 10 is supported by the flying object 100, the same phenomenon does not occur. Further, since the mounting portion 10 is lighter than the flying object 100, even if it comes into contact with a building or the like, the damage is smaller than when the flying object 100 comes into contact with it.

When the moving means included in the mounting portion 10 is a rotary blade, as shown in FIG. 19, the rotary shaft 22 of the rotary blade may be extended in a direction including a vertical component, and is shown in FIG. As described above, it may be stretched in a direction containing a horizontal component. When the rotating shaft 22 is stretched in a direction containing a large amount of vertical components (that is, when the angle formed by the rotating shaft 22 and the Z axis in the vertical direction is smaller than the angle formed by the rotating shaft 22 and the X axis or the Y axis in the horizontal direction). ), The mounting unit 10 can support its own weight by the flying object and at the same time generate a force to raise its own weight. Therefore, the load applied to the flying object 100 is reduced. On the other hand, when the rotating shaft 22 is stretched in a direction containing a large amount of horizontal components (that is, the angle formed by the rotating shaft 22 with the X-axis or the Y-axis in the horizontal direction is larger than the angle formed by the rotating shaft 22 with the Z-axis in the vertical direction. (When small), the mounting part produces almost no force to lift its own weight. Therefore, most of the force generated by the rotary blade is used as a moving force (propulsive force), and the mounting portion 10 moves faster.

Regarding the detailed configuration of the rotary wing included in the mounting portion 10, the components overlapping the rotary wing included in the above-mentioned flying object 100 perform the same operation, and thus the description thereof will be omitted again.

The rotary shaft 22 of the rotary blade included in the mounting portion 10 may be provided so as to be rotatable. For example, when the rotating shaft 22 is stored in the flying object 100 and when the mounting portion is normally lowered, the rotating shaft 22 is set to extend in the horizontal direction, and the force generated by the rotary blade is used for the movement in the XY direction. When an abnormality occurs in the flying object 100 and the mounting portion is separated from the flying body, the rotating shaft 22 is set to extend in the direction including the vertical component, and the mounting portion 10 flies with the force generated by the rotor blades. It can be used.

Further, when the rotary shaft 22 of the rotary blade included in the mounting portion 10 is extended in the horizontal direction, the rotary blade provided in the mounting portion 10 may be used as a part of the thrust of the flying object when the flying object 100 is propelled. Good. As a result, the rotor blades and the motor included in the mounting portion 10 do not become dead weights, and the traveling speed of the flying object can be expected to increase.

A variable pitch propeller may be used as the rotary blade included in the mounting portion 10. Compared to the fixed pitch propeller that controls the position by controlling the rotation speed of the motor, etc., the position control by changing the pitch of the propeller has higher response performance, so more precise position adjustment is possible. ..

From the viewpoint of weight reduction, it is desirable that the number of the string-shaped member 20 connecting the mounting portion 10 and the flying object 100 is one. However, when the mounting portion is hung at one point, the mounting portion may be tilted due to the bias of the center of gravity of the mounted object or the collapse of the load. In order to reduce the inclination of the mounting portion, as shown in FIG. 23, it is desirable to branch the string-shaped member into two or more from a predetermined position and suspend the mounting portion at two or more points. Further, when the load is hung at three or more points, the inclination of the mounting portion is suppressed even if the load has a biased center of gravity, so that the load can be easily kept horizontal.

When connected by one string-shaped member (point), when the mounting portion 10 rises while rotating due to wind or vibration, it approaches the flying object 100 in an unintended direction and comes into contact with or retracts the flying object. It is possible that you may not be able to enter the space where you should be. When the string-shaped member is branched into two or more (points), it is easy to correct the direction so that the mounting portion 10 has a suitable orientation when the mounting portion 10 once lowered is raised to the vicinity of the flying object again. It becomes.

As an example of the method of correcting the orientation of the mounting unit 10, there is a method of using the angle adjusting unit 24 as shown in FIGS. 23-26. By providing the slit 25 on the bottom surface of the angle adjusting portion 24 provided in the flying object 100, when the two branched string-shaped members 20 are pulled into the slit 25, the branched string-shaped members 20 are on the upper surface. When the string-shaped member 20 enters at an angle close to a right angle to the slit 25 in view, the force that the string-shaped member 20 tries to spread due to tension is suppressed by the slit 25. As it is further pulled in, the force that the string-shaped member 20 tries to spread becomes stronger, and the string-shaped member 20 rotates so as to be parallel to the slit 25. This makes it possible to adjust the mounting portion 10 facing an unintended direction to a predetermined direction. The strength and speed of the adjustment are adjusted by the width of the slit and the attachment angle of the two branched string-shaped members 20. Further, when the string-shaped member 20 is split into three or more branches, the shape of the slit 25 may be a shape that matches the shape of the branched string-shaped member 20 as viewed from above.

Other methods for correcting the orientation of the mounting unit 10 include a method of controlling the self-position using the moving means 13 while the mounting unit 10 is being hoisted, and the orientation of the mounting unit 10 when the flying object 100 approaches. A method of adjusting the direction (yaw direction) of the flying object, a method of using a guide member that promotes the adjustment of the position by contacting the frame or arm provided in the mounting portion 10, and the like are not limited to this. ..

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, one end of the string-shaped member 20 is a mechanism such as a winch, a reel, or a hoist (hereinafter, collectively referred to as a hanging mechanism 21) capable of feeding out and hoisting the string-shaped member 20. ) Is connected. The other end is connected to the mounting unit 10.

The suspension mechanism 21 operates using a motor, an engine, compressed air, or the like. These power sources may be the same as the energy used for the flight of the flying object 100 (for example, a secondary battery, a fuel cell, fossil fuel, etc.), or may be separately provided for the operation of the winch. Good. Further, the vertical control of the mounting portion by the winch is performed by at least one of the flying object 100, the mounting portion 10, and the port.

The mounting position of the suspension mechanism 21 on the flying object 100 is generally provided above the mounting portion 10 (for example, FIG. 5). However, in the case of the flying object 100 (for example, the flying object used for the home delivery service) that travels in one direction for a long time when cruising, the suspension mechanism 21 is provided above the flying object 100. , The total height of the main body of the flight body 100 may increase, and the air resistance during cruising may increase. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the suspension mechanism 21 is difficult to increase the air resistance during flight, and is at least in the front-rear direction (Y) from directly above the center of gravity of the flying object 100 or the string-shaped member 20 extending from the mounting portion 10. It is more desirable to mount it at a position offset in the direction). The mounting position of the suspension mechanism 21 is determined to be an appropriate position in consideration of the magnitude of aerodynamics and drag from the cruising posture and cover shape of the flying object 100 to be mounted.

Further, the string-shaped member 20 extending from the suspension mechanism 21 is connected to the mounting portion 10 by hanging on one or more pulleys 23 without coming into contact with the constituent members of the flying object 100 or the like. In particular, in a configuration in which the hanging mechanism 21 is provided below the connection position between the mounting portion 10 and the string-shaped member 20, the string-shaped member 20 is prevented from coming into contact with the mounting portion 10 by using two or more pulleys 23. ..

The suspension mechanism 21 used by the flying object in the present invention may be further provided in the mounting portion 10 in addition to the flying object 100. By connecting the mounting unit 10 and the mounting object 11 with a string-shaped member and causing the vehicle to move up and down, precise lifting control is possible even when the distance between the flying object 100 and the mounting unit 10 is large.

As a port that is one of the destinations of the mounting unit 10, a pad or a port provided on the ground or a roof, a port provided on a window or a balcony of a building, or the like is known as a well-known technique. It is easy to set up a port on the premises of a house or facility with a garden. A well-known port can also be used in the delivery system according to the present invention. However, in the case of delivery to a residence without a privately owned garden (for example, a room of an apartment on the second floor or higher above the ground, an office in a building, etc.), individual delivery using a window or a balcony is desired.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the port 30 in the present invention rotates the receiving unit 31 for receiving the load by placing or connecting the load and the receiving unit 31 independently of the building 200. It is composed of a rotating portion 33 to be moved. It is desirable that the port 30 is provided at a position easily accessible from the sky outside the building, such as the balcony, veranda, window, and outer wall of the building 200. The port 30 may be movable, but it is desirable that the port 30 is fixedly provided to the building 200 in order to reduce the possibility of tipping over and improve reliability. Further, when the distance between the load receiving portion 31 and the rotating portion 33 is increased, a support portion 32 that connects and supports the load receiving portion and the rotating portion may be provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 27-29, the port 30 has at least a standby mode in which cargo is not received and a cargo receiving mode in which cargo is received from an air vehicle or the like. In the standby mode, the load receiving unit 31 is in a state of approaching the building 200. Desirably, the position is such that a person in the building can easily unload the luggage placed in the receiving part and is not easily affected by the wind. In the load receiving mode, the rotation of the rotating portion 33 causes the load receiving portion 31 or the support portion 32 to rotate in a substantially horizontal direction, and the load receiving portion moves to a position farther from the building than in the standby mode.

The rotating shaft included in the rotating portion 33 extends in a direction containing at least the Z-axis component, and makes the load receiving portion 31 or the supporting portion 32 rotatable. The rotation may be performed manually using a handwheel or the like, or may be performed automatically using an electric motor, an engine, or the like. When it is automated, it rotates at a predetermined timing based on information such as the estimated time of arrival of the aircraft and the sign of approach, and receives the cargo.

In the vicinity of the wall surface of the building 200, the wind that collides with the wall surface produces an updraft or a downdraft on the front surface (collision surface) and a strong horizontal wind on the side surface. It is desirable that the load receiving portion 31 in the load receiving mode exists outside and farther from the strong wind flow. However, when the load receiving portion 31 is separated from the building 200, the supporting portion 32 becomes longer. The optimum configuration is determined based on the strength of the support, the manufacturing cost, the area of the balcony and windows, and so on. For example, as shown in FIG. 28, it may be provided on a high-strength member such as a skeleton of a building 200.

The load receiving unit 31 may have a flat surface shape on which an air vehicle can land or place a load 11, or may include an arm for receiving the load, a robot hand, or the like. Further, in the case of a system in which luggage is hung from a flying object or the like on a string-shaped member and descends, a connection mechanism for grasping and connecting the luggage 11 or a string is provided, and the string-shaped member is cut above the connection mechanism. By providing the function, it is not necessary to provide a luggage separation mechanism on the air vehicle or the mounting portion, and the weight increase of the air vehicle can be suppressed.

When the load receiving portion 31 has a shape on which a load can be placed, it is desirable to have a function of preventing the placed load from moving or falling due to wind or the like. The configuration examples of the receiving unit are listed below.
(1) Provide movable walls and fences around the cargo receiving part.
(2) Make a step or angle on the floor of the load receiving part.
(3) Suction by negative pressure.
(4) Temporarily fix using magnetism, adhesive, hook-and-loop fastener, etc.
(5) Provide permanent walls and fences around the receiving part.
As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, when the fall prevention member 34 such as a fence or a wall is provided, if the fall prevention member 34 is always provided high, the landing operation of the flying object 100 and the operation of placing the luggage 11 are performed. Since it may be an obstacle, it is desirable to be able to adjust the length of protrusion above the plane by using a mechanism such as expansion and contraction and opening and closing. Further, in the case of a load that can be dropped over a short distance, the fall prevention member may not be moved and may be dropped into an enclosed space.

As shown in FIG. 30, after receiving the luggage 11, the port 30 puts the luggage 11 inside the balcony 210, in a place where people can easily receive the luggage, such as indoors, or in a place where the luggage can be safely stored. It may have a pull-in function (for example, an elevator, a conveyor, etc.). This not only prevents the lost baggage received, but also makes it easier for people to access the baggage. Further, after the load 11 is pulled in, the load receiving unit 31 is in a state where it can receive the load again, and the efficiency of receiving the load is improved.

The support portion 32 has a strength capable of withstanding the weight applied by placing the luggage 11 or the like and the pressure applied by the wind. As for the material and shape, a suitable configuration is selected based on the weight of the luggage to be received and the conditions of the installation location. For example, when a plate-shaped member is used, it is possible to reduce the pressure received by the wind by making a plurality of holes in the member and creating a place for air to pass through.

In addition, when the pipes are combined (for example, a truss structure), the cross-sectional shape of the pipes is not a perfect circle but an ellipse or a symmetrical wing shape to reduce the pressure received from the wind from a certain direction. ..

<Details of the second embodiment>
In the details of the second embodiment according to the present invention, the components overlapping with the first embodiment perform the same operation, and thus the description thereof will be omitted again.

The mounting unit 10 may have a function of flying only by its own aircraft. For example, when an abnormality occurs in the flying object 100, the mounting portion 10 is separated and the mounted portion 10 is made to fly, so that the total weight of the flying body is reduced and the impact at the time of a crash can be reduced.

When the rotating shaft of the rotary blade included in the mounting portion 10 is rotatable, the rotating shaft is extended in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 20 in normal times, and when the mounting portion is separated from the flying object, FIG. 19 shows. By adopting a posture in which the rotation axis is extended in the vertical direction as described above, it is possible to efficiently move in the XY axis direction in normal times and to fly by itself in an emergency or the like.

The configuration of the flying object in each embodiment can be implemented in combination of a plurality. It is desirable to consider an appropriate configuration according to the cost of manufacturing the flying object and the environment and characteristics of the place where the flying object is operated.

The above-described embodiments are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention. It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention includes an equivalent thereof.

10 Mounting part 11 Loading object (luggage)
12 Loaded object holding mechanism 13 Mounting part Moving means 20 String-shaped member 21 Hanging mechanism 22 Rotating shaft 23 Pulley 24 Angle correction part 25 Slit 30 Port 31 Loading part 32 Supporting part 33 Rotating part 34 Fall prevention member 100 Air vehicle 110a ~ 110d Propeller 111a ~ 111d Motor 120 Frame 130 Landing Gear 100 Damper 200 Building 210 Balcony

Claims (11)

It ’s an air vehicle,
Equipped with a mounting part to hold the load
The mounting portion is held via a string-shaped member, and the mounting portion is held.
When viewed the mounting portion from the side, have a moving means including a rotary blade provided between the lower end from an upper end of the mounting portion,
All the rotary blades are provided around the mounting portion, and the angle formed by all the rotating shafts and the horizontal axis is smaller than the angle formed by all the rotating shafts and the vertical axis.
The rotation axes of the rotary blades adjacent to each other around the mounting portion extend in different directions.
An air vehicle characterized by that. The rotation axes of all the rotor blades extend along a horizontal plane composed of the two horizontal axes.
The flying object according to claim 1. The rotor blades are provided with four or more even numbers.
The rotation axes of the two rotors arranged diagonally to the mounting portion extend in the same direction as each other.
The flying object according to claim 1 or 2. The string-shaped member is branched into two or more from a predetermined position, and is connected to the mounting portion at two or more points.
The flying object according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The mounting portion is suspended by the string-shaped member connected to the hanging mechanism.
The flying object according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The suspension mechanism is mounted at a position offset at least in the front-rear direction of the flying object from directly above the center of gravity of the flying object or a string-shaped member extending from the mounting portion.
The flying object according to claim 5. The string-shaped member extends from the offset position to the mounting portion via a pulley.
The flying object according to claim 6. The mounting portion is separated from the airframe together with the mounting object.
The flying object according to any one of claims 1 to 7. It is a mounting part that holds the loading material.
When the mounting portion is viewed from the side, it has a moving means including a rotary blade provided between the upper end and the lower end of the mounting portion.
All the rotary blades are provided around the mounting portion, and the angle formed by all the rotating shafts and the horizontal axis is smaller than the angle formed by all the rotating shafts and the vertical axis.
The rotation axes of the rotary blades adjacent to each other around the mounting portion extend in different directions.
The mounting part is characterized by that. The axes of rotation of all the rotors extend along a horizontal plane composed of the axes in the horizontal direction.
9. The mounting unit according to claim 9. The rotor blades are provided with four or more even numbers.
The rotation axes of the two rotors arranged diagonally with respect to the mounting portion extend in the same direction as each other.
Mounting portion according to claim 9 or 1 0, characterized in that.

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